Out of the torrent of launch games that are also being released on original Xbox, Need for Speed: Most Wanted is a rare breed – it’s actually substantially, significantly prettier on 360. True, it’s otherwise exactly the same game as the Xbox version we reviewed last issue (score: 9.0), and true, the graphics are not so jaw-dropping that you’ll need fresh boxers. But if you haven’t bought the game yet, the extra $10 for the 360 version is money well spent.

Comparisons aside, Most Wanted is seriously impressive, especially because few would blink if the long-running NFS series had come down with a bad case of creative exhaustion. But mixing cop pursuits with street racing acts like a fresh spurt of nitrous, and Most Wanted takes full advantage with a deep career mode that’s richly layered with complexities. For instance, the more hell you raise in a particular ride, the more the cops crawl up your tailpipe, so changing its look with vinyls or new spoilers actually has a point. The cops aren’t chumps either, and battering past them and finally finding a hiding spot feels like an accomplishment every time, as does each victory in the “regular” modes. This is exciting, well-designed racing – exactly what earned NFS its name in the first place.

On Xbox 360

+ Cops put up a great fight.

+ Fun, creative, and deep variety of races.

- Hokey, wannabe “street” dialogue strains for cool and misses entirely.

? Why don’t all the Xbox “ports” offer an upgrade that’s this respectable?

9.0